This past week, Insteon, the home automation device maker announced that their line of smart light controllers can be controlled with the Amazon Echo. So the command "Alexa, dim the living room lights to 50 percent" will dim the living room lights.

'Alexa, hit the lights': Amazon Echo adds Insteon support - CNET

Then today, Phillips announced that their wi-fi enabled LED bulbs will now take commands from Apple's Siri via HomeKit from Apple.

Talk to Your Philips Hue Lights Via Siri | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

I wonder what Cortana will do for us.

I'm just happy I don't have to remember channel numbers with Xfinity...I have one of those remotes that you talk to. I hit the button, say Ohio State Game, and it finds my game.

I would love to see more automation interface with Cortana. I've had her on my phone for about a year, and now have her on my computer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hShY6xZWVGE

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Time for the luddite rant.

I dont think saying out loud "dim lights 50 percent" is easier than flipping a switch or adjusting a simple dimmer on the wall.

Sounds like a complex gadget that will cost a bunch of money to replace when it inevitably fails in a short time.

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I'm with you. The most value I see out of it is any data logging that may occur when all the devices talk to each other ("internet of things") and automate to maximize efficiency. There's a lot of work in the analytics world to do that but simple voice commands are pretty useless. I am always amazed people use Siri and cortana for anything outside of driving.


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Siri is now slightly more usable if you have an iPhone 6s with the fully-voice activated "Hey Siri" function. Unfortunately, it is still struggling with my Middle Eastern dialect as much as ever before...

Basically, unless it works over a local network and doesn't send commands to and from some server in Timbuktoo, it's a no-go for me. Working peer-to-peer with my phone would also work. That's how Apple's HomeKit seems to work, but not how Insteon/Amazon works.

The trend towards giving big-pig corepirations access to your home, electricity usage data, etc is frankly asinine. It might seem harmless, until you realize that they'll have your schedule and habits down pat.

Also, who's to say that the servers will operate forever? Will they tell you to get new light controllers in 10 years because the old ones are no longer supported? Whereas, peer-to-peer would work so long as there's an Internet and Web. And there are light switches that are 100 years old and still work fine

This is nothing new. Daffy Duck had this under control many, many years ago.

Check it out......

Elmer Fudd - Design for Leaving - Video Dailymotion

But what if you have the cat on your lap and want to dim/turn off some lights? Or are carrying something big? I would totally go for this.

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2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

I had a system years ago that worked with no security problems. I just yelled at one of my kids to turn the lights off or grab me something out of the fridge.

**clap-on
**clap-off

Or the X10 route if you want to get automation rolling a little smoother

Yeah but it's not the most reliable...when you're out of town they let anybody over

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I see advantages as we get older or infirm and as the devices become more common place, their utility will increase both reliability and acceptance.

And we'll turn into fat gimps earlier, since self-driving cars will take us from door to door, voice control won't require us to get up to turn lights off, etc. Yay for technology, all hail King Ludd! Wall-E, BABY! YEAH!

More "House of Next Wednesday" technology!

Panasonic shows robot that folds laundry!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=128&v=ItCmVZPQhlg

It takes only four and a half minutes to fold one shirt.

That is 8 seconds I don't have to do it.